Chapter 52 – Flute of Grudges

“I wonder, has something happened in there?” “Who knows? But, I think there’s no doubt it is nothing good.”

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For the sake of rampaging, Kurt, who obtained some magic tool from Finance Minister Rückner’s little brother, appeared on purpose at the site of our inspection in the Savage Lands. The inspection itself was more or less necessary. I plan to split the current Baumeister territory into three Earldoms with me having the majority and Paul-nii-san getting an independent Associate Baron territory. Its border was at the moment nothing more but a plain, however for the sake of avoiding disputes of the territorial borders, which might happen in the future, it was indispensable to properly define it. Just, it wasn’t particularly necessary to do that today. Inducing Kurt became the most important goal after all. 『There’s no problem. He seems to be lurking around.』 (Burkhart) Kurt, the blacksmith Eckhart and the few remaining supporters went out armed to the location we intended to inspect as potential territory during darkness. Of course, such action was exposed, once they entered Burkhart-san’s detection range. Even after arriving at the location, we intended to inspect, we were entirely aware of the five people hiding in a thicket slightly further away and looking this way. Well, what kind of magic tool will they use, I’m concerned by that in my mind. Kurt, who suddenly showed his figure in front of us, begins to blow into something similar to an old ocarina. Thereupon something like clusters of some black smoke gush out from the ground in the vicinity. Those clusters change into a tornado and envelop Kurt. 『Self-destruction all of a sudden?』 『No, I expect him to be likely safe within the tornado. Even as a joke, he is still the user of the magic tool.』 Somehow or other, it looks like the effect of the black smoke doesn’t reach the center similar to the eye of a typhoon. However, apparently the black smoke has received a note telling it that it only applies to Kurt. The effect of the black smoke? Before long screams considered to belong to Eckhart’s group can be heard. 『Only himself being safe and the others are doomed? How evil.』 『They have splendidly been used and thrown away. As expected, he is a small man.』 (Burkhart) Burkhart-san’s evaluation of Kurt was harsh. But, apparently those types of parties weren’t rare in his adventurer time either. It looks like he doesn’t want to particularly recall that point. Besides, it’s not like Kurt will be safe for eternity either. We hear those screams of death agony right away. 『Somehow he wasn’t able to comprehend what kind of magic tool it is. As expected, someone like Kurt was a disposable tool.』 It looks like that black smoke is something dangerous to touch. We should defend ourselves as that body of black smoke began to gush forth in large quantities even from far away. I deployed a magic barrier together with Burkhart-san. Everyone, who joined us on the inspection, enters the magic barrier in a hurry. “Those are bugs?” (Erwin) “No, that’s the materialization of grudges.” (Elise) Elise, who is well-informed in this field, answered Erw’s question. “Eh? The materialization of grudges?” (Ina) “That’s nothing more than the power of that flute.” (Elise) Elise replied to Ina’s question slightly vaguely. That’s to be expected of her as well. She didn’t have that much knowledge in magic tools. “Nee, do you know about it, doushi-sama?” “That’s probably the 『Flute of Grudges』.” (Armstrong) “Flute of Grudges?” Unexpectedly doushi seems to have a clue about the magic tool Kurt has been blowing into. Apparently the Flute of Grudges is a magic tool that had been produced in ancient times for vengeance. With the hatred of the person himself, the grudges gathered from the surroundings by the flute are used to change oneself into a powerful undead, which kills the target. As magic tool with the goal of certainly killing the target, the user wants to kill so badly that they even sacrifice their own body, it isn’t at the level of the 『Flute of a Dragon Tamer』 either, but it is a an item requiring authorization by the kingdom due to its danger. “That means, it’s from the black market too?” “It’s easier to obtain the Flute of Grudges than the Flute of a Dragon Tamer. Therefore, it’s only a controversy of comparison in the end…” (Burkhart) If you use the Flute of a Dragon Tamer, this territory will be destroyed in the worst case. However, if it’s the Flute of Grudges, there are also many situations where it ends with killing the individual target, involving several people at worst. This is why either are obviously regarded as dangerous by the kingdom. “Anyway, the target is me, right?” (Wendelin) “Ahaha, isn’t it the materialization of a frightful grudge! It looks to be a befitting resentment for Baron Baumeister.” (Armstrong) “Umm… It’s not a laughing matter though…” (Wendelin) The black smoke, which is still gathering from the vicinity and approaching, has a diameter of 50 meters with Kurt in the center. It took the form of a huge tornado with a height of around 100 meters. Its dreadful nature is excessive to a degree that we have to retreat in a hurry.

“Uncle-sama. I’m recalling from the books I read in the past that tornadoes are a lot smaller, but…” (Elise) “I can think of several reasons, however…” (Armstrong) First was the fact of these Savage Lands being a vastly empty plot of land. That seems to be something making it relatively easy for grudges to spring forth. Plants and bugs get crushed under the hooves of running deer. Rabbits are hunted by wolves. Bears drown in rivers and their children end up dying as they haven’t been brought up. Even in human society, there’s stuff like getting scolded by superiors. In daily life, there were things like not being pleased with friends. Though it’s only tiny amounts, it creates grudges. Those seem to have soaked into the circumference of this region. “However, if time passes, those will vanish similar to water evaporating.” (Elise) This is normal to equal locations, but these places are called 『bad plots of land』. The grudges, which accumulated, bring harm to people utilizing these plots of land. Similar to the capital’s flawed properties, if things like strong evil spirits, which kill out of resentment, are created, the grudges being at those places will serve as energy source for the evil spirits, amplifying their powers. “In other words, the grudge of that man is more powerful than expected. With that as origin, large quantities of grudges are gathering from the Savage Lands’ underground.” There are no slaughtered people, who bear regrets, in the Savage Lands either. There’s no more than a small amount of something like grudges gathering from one place, but since the Savage Lands are vast, it’s a matter of dust becoming a mound if you pile it up. “That means, the situation is hopeless unless Wend’s elder brother stops blowing into the flute?” (Erwin) “Rather than stopping, there’s no other choice but to destroy either the magic tool or its user!” (Armstrong) “Eh, what do you mean by that?” (Erwin) Erw remembers a sense of discomfort due to doushi’s remark of destroying Kurt and not killing him. “Erw-boy, why you do you think Baron Baumeister and Burkhart-dono immediately deployed a magic barrier? If the body of a normal human suffers this amount of thick and dense grudges, they won’t escape dying.” (Armstrong) While doushi was answering Erw’s question, he also explained that Kurt shouldn’t be alive anymore. Grudges being a minus element, there will be no significant effects, if it’s only a small dose, but if it’s a large dose, it will cause sickness and in the worst case be fatal. “If it’s an ordinary person, they would go insane instantly. Also, their body’s function would cease within a short time, however…” (Elise) While looking at me, Elise gives an explanation which doesn’t seem to be an excuse. To put it simply, it’s very likely that Kurt and his followers have already died. “It’s not something you have to worry about, Elise. Though it might be bad taste, but they reap what they sowed.” (Wendelin) I wish for their death from the bottom of my heart. Until now I have thoroughly received their hatred. In the end they even tried to assassinate a person. Besides, they shouldn’t have expected an easy conclusion, even if they had survived here anyway. Margrave Breithilde and the nobles of the central government shouldn’t have done something like using Kurt in order to suppress my anxiety of the future. “However, if that’s the case, why is the tune of the flute still continuing to resound, I wonder?” (Ina) “That’s simple. It’s because it is a magic tool!” (Armstrong) Doushi quickly replied to Ina’s doubt. It had the shape of an ocarina, but it is a magic tool after all. Once you get it working by blowing into it one time, the flute’s tune won’t stop until killing the person, who had been defined as target by the person operating it. Actually, it isn’t a piece of music I feel like having heard somewhere before either, but the tune of the ocarina continued to flow into the surroundings. “Huh? Until killing the person that has been marked by the person using it? However, that onii-san has already died, right?” (Luise) I felt the same doubts as Luise. Although Kurt has already passed away, why are the flute and the gathering grudges recognising me as their target? “The answer is that the person, who is using the flute as existence manipulating the assembly of grudges, has transformed into an undead. It will be a reasonable labor to purify that, boy.” (Burkhart) A report, that a change occurred in the aforementioned huge tornado of black smoke, is given by Burkhart-san, who was concentrating on deploying the magic barrier. Once I turned my view, I saw a giant, completely composed by the black smoke, with a height of around 50 meters standing there. “The assembly of grudges…” (Wendelin) “Also, look at the chest part, everyone.” (Burkhart) As I turned my sight upon Burkhart-san’s instruction, I saw Kurt, who had changed into a zombie, buried there with his skin having changed into a darkish brown color. Holding that flute in his mouth just as before, Kurt is continuing to play the melody from there. If you furthermore observe well, parts of his limbs and neck are missing as if having been bit off. Those wounds changed their color into a murky black. “Those followers changed into zombies before him. It looks like he died by being eaten. And after his death he transformed into the core of that black giant after changing into a zombie. What a nasty magic tool.” Certainly, it was a magic tool I wouldn’t want to use no matter how much I was driven to a wall. And, although they were his followers, they had changed into zombies after all and were buried into the limbs and torso of the black giant as if being nothing more than decorations. “What does that mean? It’s the first time I’ve seen an undead like that!” It seems the zombie Kurt is the core, but the other zombies have been embedded into the whole body as well. The majority of the parts of the mysterious giant were composed by the grudges in a state of black smoke. Sure enough, I wonder, how do you classify this kind of undead? “It’s disgusting. Even bringing it down won’t yield any meat. We should defeat it quickly.” (Wilma) Then again, that’s the kind of thing you can expect Wilma to say. She has fun in defeating wild animals and monster if she can eat them, but if it’s this kind of undead, she can’t eat, we should defeat it quickly. While pulling the cuff of my robe, she requested for it to be defeated quickly. “But, doesn’t it seem to be powerful?” Since it is a magic tool given by the likes of Rückner’s younger brother, it shouldn’t be a big deal either. “It’s good, if it finishes with Kurt’s rampaging as it is just the right opportunity.” Unexpectedly saying something like that, Burkhart-san became speechless due to the sinister nature of the giant of black smoke with zombies embedded in its body. “Burkhart-san!” (Wendelin) “Ah… ! You had been resented by Kurt to a very great extent, boy.” (Burkhart) “Talking about that at this late hour…” (Wendelin) I was completely under the wrong impression of the other side, but even so it apparently resulted in a terribly, gloomy grudge. Considering the other party, they likely hated me for being born in the first place. Moreover, it would have been fine, if I had lived an obedient, modest life, but something like becoming a noble after defeating a dragon… That’s something intolerable from Kurt’s point of view. At any rate, it’s because he is the heir as eldest son. And, in case I gave him the money I’m possessing, he would work me like his slave. All of it being only for Kurt’s convenience, it would be better to kill me since I was an existence that obstructed him going by his circumstances. People, taking things into consideration to that extent, are able to approve just because he is my elder brother connected by blood. I wasn’t such a saint.

“So, what will we do?” “I wonder…” The black smoke giant, which absorbed all of the grudges within the Flute of Grudges’ range in the Savage Lands, immediately unleashed a barrage of punches with his fist at me, who is its target. However, those are blocked by the magic barrier, I deployed together with Burkhart-san. The punches aren’t showing any effect at all. Even so, swinging down both its hands continuously, the impacts cause very loud sounds of *bam bam* on the magic barrier. This has triggered a mental feeling of being slightly scared. I’m certain that’s the way it is. Because the giant has an all-over height of around 50 meters and because I’m facing its large fists even though I’m being protected by the magic barrier. “If that’s the case, it’s my turn now! If something happens to Baron Baumeister’s body, even his His Majesty would be full of regret. Anyway, it’s fine to leave it to me!” (Armstrong) Since doushi came for the sake of guarding me, he isn’t wrong theoretically. But, if I consider doushi’s unique skills, I also have a feeling that it won’t have much effect on the black smoke giant. “I will get rid of it with magic I usually don’t use!” (Armstrong)At the same time of saying that, doushi aligns his mana and slips out from the magic barrier deployed by Burkhart-san and me. Simultaneously he applies a spell of body enhancement on himself. In order to get rid of doushi, who just came out from the previously hindering barrier, the black smoke giant drops a fist from overhead. It used a strength that would have definitely squashed the target, if it was an ordinary human, but doushi defended against that with a standalone magic barrier. “What! Doushi used a magic barrier.” (Erwin) “No, no, that’s because he’s the Royal Head Magician.” From Erw’s point of view, it was the first time for doushi to us a magic barrier itself. However, that doesn’t mean that doushi can’t use a magic barrier, if I want to mention it for the sake of protecting doushi’s honor. He only wasn’t able to use a semicircular magic barrier, covering several people, like Burkhart-san and me. “In a certain sense he is a perfectly suited to fighting alone.” “I wonder, if that’s how it is…” For this reason voices had been raised in the past for master to be the Royal Head Magician rather than doushi. However, you could also say that it hasn’t been a particular mistake to inaugurate doushi as Royal Head Magician if you look at things like doushi’s knowledge of magic tools. Rather, you can even say he is qualified since he possesses offensive abilities to a frightening level, which can mercilessly annihilate an enemy army, if there is a war. “It’s because other magic consumes a large quantity of mana! Really! It completely burns away similar to a crimson pillar of fire!” (Armstrong) With these words doushi points his finger towards the black smoke giant and a mighty pillar of fire suddenly rises from the feet of the black smoke giant. Its body ends up being fully wrapped up in the fire. “It was a satisfying execution! Burst Great Rising!” (Armstrong) (T/N: The spells name is written in katakana emulating the english name, don’t blame me for this engrish, ok?)Burst Great Rising is a spell that creates a huge, high-temperature pillar of fire from the feet of its target. It’s power has a degree that an ordinary person would be burned to nothing without even leaving bones behind. If asked whether it’s an original spell, you could say yes and no. There are several magicians using magic to wrap up their targets in a pillar of fire, but it was only doushi, who named it Burst Great Rising. It was also only doushi, who improved the spell of pillar of fire to reach a height of around 100 meters. “It’s an amazing spell.” (Luise) “As expected of uncle-sama.” (Elise) Luise and Elise praised the strength of doushi watching the black smoke giant burning while being wrapped up in a huge pillar of fire, but Burkhart-san shook his head while his face is giving off a doubtful feeling. In fact, it’s the same for me as well. I think the spell Burst Great Rising is very amazing, but… And Ina noticed the same problem as us. “Nee, Wend.” (Ina) “Umm, what’s up?” (Wendelin) “I can’t use such spell, but that black giant is an undead, right? Isn’t it in vain, if you don’t purify it with holy magic in that case?” (Ina) “I wonder if that’s how it is?” (Wendelin) It’s different when it has a body rotten like a zombie, but with the majority of that giant being materialized as grudges in the shape of black smoke, magic of the fire attribute shouldn’t work. “Didn’t uncle-sama target the zombie of those people embedded in that black giant?” (Elise) It’s not like Elise forgot the fact that the majority of the undead won’t be defeated without using Holy magic. Given that it is this large, isn’t doushi trying to bring down the Kurt zombie, which has been controlling it earlier. You can even say that it has a nice efficiency, if that is indeed correct. Just that the black smoke giant has been standing at the place, where the pillar of fire settled down just now, without change. In addition, the eyes of Kurt, embedded in the chest part, became bloodshot and he screamed. His current state isn’t that of a zombie as he changed into a wraith. “Oh! With his rage towards Baron Baumeister he isn’t able to die peacefully even by being burned with hell fire.” (Armstrong) Even doushi looks to be surprised by Kurt’s tenacity. In any case, the figures of the other four, who were embedded in the limbs of the giant, vanished from sight already. Probably they ended up dying just now as it been too much for them to keep following Kurt’s lead by now. “Wendelin! I will kill you!” (Kurt) “Uwaa, he seriously has a grudge.” “More than half of it is a selfish prejudice by the other side!” (Wendelin) “Even I might have this much resentment, if I wanted to succeed after my elder brothers left. Though, such situation is very unlikely.” (Erwin) Succeeding the household and territory or not? Because of this difference, Erw, who was shunned by his elder brothers, doesn’t see this as someone else’s problem, as it could have been his as well, especially given that it occasionally goes even as far as murder and assassinations. However, in Kurt’s case, since he would have become the feudal lord, if he had been silent, I consider it to be a totally unjustified resentment through misunderstandings. “Ah~~~, let’s finish it by purifying him quickly.” (Burkhart) The black smoke giant has excessively increased its grudges due to the wraith of Kurt controlling that part. It continued to attack us while swinging its hands downwards around in disorder. The attacks themselves were completely blocked by Burkhart-san’s magic barrier, but it’s likely not good for the heart to watch a scene of a giant swinging its arms downward. Because of that Burkhart-san called out to finish it by purifying it quickly. “Understood. Elise.” (Wendelin) “Yes.” (Elise) Elise and I have started the preparation of Holy magic at the same time. To narrow down the range of the wide-area purification spell, we used in the Demon Forest, we raised its density. With it being spells from the same magic system, we decided it would be completely purified, if enveloped in twice the power. Since it would be troublesome, if even that failed in the worst case, we have decided to do it without mercy. “Wendelin! Diee~~~!” (Kurt) It doesn’t seem that he has even reason left anymore. Given that the giant is continuing to swing its hands towards us, this would become problematic, if it rampaged somewhere else as well. If it even headed towards the Baumeister territory by some blunder, there was also the possibility of it massacring the fief’s population, if things don’t go well. “Well, though it doesn’t look like we have to worry about it escaping to another place.” Despite us being protected by Burkhart-san’s magic barrier, the giant of black smoke isn’t considering other options either. It continued to swing its hands downwards completely like a machine. “I see, a magic tool for vengeance, huh…? It’s good that I’m not the target…” “Same for me…” “However, isn’t it a rather unreasonable resentment…?” “If he didn’t do anything, he would have normally succeeded the Baumeister territory.” Hermann-nii-san and Paul-nii-san have been even more scared of the giant of black smoke swinging down its hands as if having gone mad, than something like the miserable manner of Kurt’s death. The reason being, if they were the aim of this giant, they likely wouldn’t be able to survive as they can’t even deploy a magic barrier in the first place. Even if they excelled a bit in martial arts, they shouldn’t be able to escape from the absurd violence of the giant. Surely, I didn’t know whether this magic tool of vengeance had a value to sacrifice one’s own body, but it was an opportunity to deal with the sole magician in the area. “However, we would have been checkmated, if we didn’t have Holy magic.” “Right. Even if you defend against its attacks, there would be no way to defeat the black giant if you don’t use Holy magic. The deployment of the magic barrier as well, the result would be the same once the mana ran out.” As for the point of the majority of people definitely ending up dead, the Flute of Grudges was also an appropriate magic tool to be controlled by the government. “So, doushi is stalling for time?” “Probably… However, the impression, he gives off, is him really trying to defeat it by himself…” (Wendelin) “No, that’s impossible without Holy magic!” For the sake of Elise and me performing Holy magic, Burkhart-san extends his magic barrier so that it protects all of us. Doushi was the single exception to that. As it was possible for him to deploy a magic barrier, as long as it covered only himself, and to enhance his physical ability with magic, he continued to fire highly-focused fire balls while flying around the black smoke giant with high-speed flight. However, even if he makes a temporary hole at the parts he hits, it ends up being closed right away as the basis of the giant is black smoke. After all, there wouldn’t be any results without Holy magic. “He’s a doushi, Holy magic is…” (T/N: It’s an assumption based on the title which means something like officiating monk)“Though it never has happened for me to have seen it.” (Luise) Even at the time of practicing in the capital, Luise and I didn’t remember having seen him using it. However, although he is able to use it as it is something he used before, I heard he would rather not use it because of its power. “Is him being able to use something highly powerful in fact a lie?” (Wendelin) “There’s no particular reason to hide it, right?” (Luise) “Certainly…” (Wendelin) While I have been retorted with a fair argument by Luise, I have completed to amass a usable high output of Holy magic. First Elise cast a purification spell, which was limited in its effect directly at the place where the black smoke giant is standing. Due to the bluish-white light of purification, the giant, being composed of black smoke, is vanishing as if gradually melting and its body is slowly getting smaller. Moreover, the wraith of Kurt, which was embedded in its chest, continued to scream as if being damaged by sulfuric acid. “Go ahead! Boy!” (Burkhart) “Yes!” (Wendelin) Next I’m stacking the same spell onto the same area as well. Due to the bluish-white light, which increased even more in intensity, the rate, at which the black giant is purified, speeds up. At that rate I already expected it to likely vanish completely within a few minutes. The wraith of Kurt, which was only raising screams, starts its last resistance. “Wendeli~~~n!” (Kurt) Once again the sound of the Flute of Grudges becomes powerful. And once again black smoke came gradually gathering from the surroundings. “Again!?” “That’s because something like grudges is anywhere.” Though it’s only a very small quantity, with its nature of gathering over a vast range as something that also exists in any kind of soil, the rate of the giant’s body becoming smaller has completely stopped. Now that it has come to this, will we run out of mana first? Or will the wraith of Kurt vanish after ceasing to gather grudges? It totally ended up becoming a test of endurance. “Are you alright, boy?” (Burkhart) “I’m fine, but…” (Wendelin) Because Elise’s mana is around an intermediate level, she will reach her limit any minute. Even if she has gained around 10 minutes due to the aforementioned ring in addition to the reserve magic gems, I had her carry out of reconsideration for the future. There was a chance that the black giant would return to its original big size once again, if Elise dropped out. “Eh? If it’s like this, isn’t it quite bad?” “It’s bad.” If the giant doesn’t vanish even once my mana runs out, only Burkhart-san, who is deploying a magic barrier, will remain. Given that he can’t use Holy magic, he will only be able to defend afterwards. “This is bad… Doushi!” (Burkhart) “What is it, Burkhart-dono?” (Armstrong) Burkhart-san explains the circumstance to doushi, who continues his diversion while flying around the giant. “I see, these empty Savage Lands have backfired in reverse!” (Armstrong) “Even if it’s an empty area, do grudges come flying this quickly?” “Usually that’s not the case. The dreadful nature of the grudges is in proportion to resentment’s depth of the person gathering it!” (Armstrong) Small amounts of grudges can’t usually be seen neither by animals nor people as they are transparent. Only at the time they came, being summoned by the Flute of Grudges, the shape of the black smoke has reached a point where it would affect people. “If the resentment is intense,… I see, they are likely gathering from the Demon Forest and sinister places in the Savage Lands.” Which reminds me, at the time I investigated the Savage Lands in the past, there were places, which became the graveyards of wild animals, and locations, where plants didn’t grow for some reason at all although those were fine in regards to sun light and water. Probably a large amount of grudges had accumulated at those places. “Grudges are calling grudges with interest attached to them!” (Armstrong) “That’s an exquisite allegory.” Even if it’s an entirely false accusation, Kurt seems to have a considerable resentment towards me. “So, what shall we do?” (Wendelin) “I’m bad at supplementing mana to others!” (Armstrong) It’s necessary to have a special talent for supplying mana after all. Doushi affirmed to me that he can’t use it. “Then, what shall we do?” (Wendelin) “That’s simple! It will be fine if I use Holy magic!” (Armstrong) “Eh? Dosuhi, you were able to properly use Holy magic?” That fact was a shock. Doushi, who can’t use almost anything but a couple of standalone spells, though powerful, as the ultimate combat machine, says that he will use Holy magic, which he previously declared to be weak in. “No, in my short life of 40 years, I have no more experience than having tried Holy magic for a small period of time!” (Armstrong) During that time he gave up training it any further since he couldn’t realize anything but far too shabby Holy magic. “Something like that… Doushi.” Including myself, everyone is exhausted. Burkhart-san states his word of objection as representative. “Above being uncertain whether you can use it normally now, it has been completely no good before. It takes time to get used to using Holy magic as well.” (Burkhart) Although the learning time is originally short, even if he suddenly uses it, he shouldn’t cast something like Holy magic popular in use at the black giant. Doushi’s plan was nothing but reckless. “In the worst case it’s probably proper to withdraw temporarily.” (Hermann) “No, that’s no good.” (Wendelin) “However, Hermann-dono.” Victims might appear, but if we temporarily withdraw from here to restore our mana, we will have to face a revenge game. Certainly, this might be the most realistic plan. But, if you consider the victims that might occur in the Baumeister territory, I could do nothing but refuse Hermann-nii-san’s statement. “It will be fine if my Holy magic is successful! Baron Baumeister, give me Alfred’s book!” (Armstrong) “Starting from there…” Once I nod to Ina, she takes out the book, I received from master, from within my magic bag and tosses it towards doushi. Doushi, who caught it, began to read the entries about Holy magic while floating in the sky. “I see, as expected of Alfred. It’s really easy to understand!” (Armstrong) “For real…?” (Erwin) While pretending that he didn’t hear Erw’s tsukkomi, I once again turn my look towards doushi. He was performing some movements as if somehow firmly standing in the sky. “Haven’t the blood vessels in his head been cut?” (Erwin) Although Erw once again said something outrageous, I couldn’t see whether his blood pressure has been rising from my point of view. “It seems to be hopeless.” (Burkhart) At the same time as Burkhart-san, who gave up after about 30 seconds, there was a change in doushi’s state. Suddenly bluish-white light was emitted from both hands, which doushi had held out in front, and next arrows made out of Holy light appeared in his palms. “More or less it is Holy magic.” (Burkhart) Burkhart-san admitted that there was a chance of doushi releasing Holy light for the time being, but he showed something close to astonishment in his expression. The reason being… “Small! In the end it’s too slow!” (Armstrong) Although the yell of doushi was befitting, the size of the unexpected arrows of Holy light were to the degree of cucumbers. There wasn’t any great difference in their speed to the walking pace of people either. The arrows of Holy light, which were released from both palms of doushi’s hands, hit the black giant at their slow pace as is, dispersing a small amount of black smoke by purifying it. Did some of the black smoke really disappear? We, who are at a distant place, weren’t able to confirm it. Given that he has been able to cast it more or less, it’s not like there is absolutely no effect at all. “Doushi…” “I tried it for the first time in 20 years, but its power has risen higher than before! It’s a chance!” (Armstrong) “Oy…” (Burkhart)

While Burkhart-san is calmly making a tsukkomi and everyone has their strength drained once again (T/N: a Japanese proverb of being shocked to the degree of speechlessness, in animes often shown by people dropping on the ground due to some comment. E: Orz anyone?), doushi fired continuous volleys of Holy Light arrows without even minding it. Nevertheless, no matter how many he shoots, the black giant is recovering itself without a care. It likely doesn’t see doushi as threat at all. He was completely ignored. “That man is awfully positive…” (Erwin) As Erw says, doushi was keeping up firing the cucumber-sized Holy Light arrows without caring about something like Burkhart-san’s cold look. Naturally he is also hitting the giant, however there is no conspicuous change in the black giant visible. Doushi’s Holy Light arrows’ power is far too low for the size of his opponent. “Doushi, your mana won’t last.” (Burkhart) If it’s Burkhart-san, he likely wants doushi to preserve his mana so that we can withdraw in the worst case. “Don’t do these futile things any longer”, it was a light warning. “No, but… If we don’t hold back this black giant here…” (Hermann) Hermann-nii-san seems to have the same opinion as doushi, too. They are considering the victims to appear in the Baumeister territory, if we don’t get rid of the black giant here. “Wend, don’t you have some plan?” (Luise) “Plan, eh… ?” (Wendelin) Although Luise states it this simply, there’s a great influence of one’s imagination and sense at the time a magician learns magic. Even if I were to inform doushi of a method to use here, I don’t think it would result in anything. “Luise, you have probably been taught that magic itself is dependent on the individual, right?” (Wendelin) “Individuality, huh? Then, if it’s doushi’s personality?” (Luise) If you watch doushi’s tactics, his combat style is to fight standalone by enhancing himself with magic to the very limit. You can call him the ultimate magic fighter. (T/N: fighter as in martial arts in close combat)At any rate, as he’s directly clashing with his opponents, he’s weak at magic of the emission type. The main purpose of the snake-shaped highly converged mana balls is to act as restraints. Though he is weak at it, its power was around the level of an intermediate magician because of his mana capacity which made it powerful if the opponent wasn’t at that level. If I based it on that, I gradually had the feeling that it has been a mistake for such doushi to fire the Holy Light arrows themselves. “Is it pointless if he forcefully fires off arrows?” (Wendelin) “Oh! Although you are my pupil, it is a splendid observation! Well, then!” (Armstrong) “Umm… Doushi?” (Wendelin) Although I only muttered it in a whisper from a distance, doushi, who heard it, has immediately begun to get fired up once again. Generating Holy Light by burning through his own mana, his body is shrouded by its circulation. Probably he is keeping up such image. Slowly a bluish-white flame began to be emitted in doushi’s body’s surrounding.

“It became something amazing quickly! It’s a very great change!” (Luise) As Luise says, there was no doubt that the bright bluish-white flame was Holy magic. Without a doubt it’s only doushi, who will materialize it in the shape of flames. “Yea. Apparently its power will rise if you don’t release Holy Light! If that’s the case!” (Armstrong) Doushi, noticing the special trait of his own Holy magic, raises the output of Holy Light, that has been cladding his body, even more. He initiates an unreasonable attack of clinging to the giant’s body as is. “Oy, you will die, if you directly touch the materialized grudges…” “Or rather, it’s fine if you hit it normally…” “Even so, he will die if he touches the grudges directly with his fists though.” “…” While being clad in a barrier of Holy Light, he is at the same time directly burning the body of the black giant with the Holy Light he is emitting from his body. It’s the most efficient move, but since it will be instant death, if his body is touched by the black smoke once he makes an error and the output drops, it was a strategy I couldn’t really recommend. Or rather, by suddenly executing it, I think it’s dangerous. “However, why is he that aggressive?” (Burkhart) “There has been no point in time where I clung to an undead.” (Wendelin) “That’s right, isn’t it?” (Burkhart) “Me too, as expected, this is…” (Elise) Elise and I were able to understand quite well what Burkhart-san has been saying. Holy magic is basically a magic attribute to deal with undead. Therefore, there’s also no reason to consider striking zombies and wraiths directly and even more so to the degree of directly embracing them. That’s why things like area purification have been developed, if you want to fire off Holy Light. Thanks to that doushi had a hard struggle learning it, though he gave up before. “With three holy spells at the same time, it’s sufficient to drop it to hell!” (Armstrong) “Umm, uncle-sama… It’s 『Ascend to heaven after regretting your crimes so that you can be reborn next time』…” (Elise) From Elise’s point of view, doushi is her uncle whom she respects for his magic. If you talk about his faith in god, he isn’t in fact someone you could praise overly much. In the first place, based on the fact of not trying to improve his Holy magic for more than 20 years at his current age, there was also the possibility that he was planning to not get involved with the church, obviously. Magicians, who can properly use the Holy attribute, are suffering from being approached by the church. That might have been also the reason why he neglected learning it for more than 20 years. “Wendelin!” “When I’ve died, it will be depressing if you are aware of such side of your senpai! I will fall to hell!” (Armstrong) “If it’s doushi, I have a feeling that you will go to heaven…” “Wendeli~~~~n!” I heard it again, but I decided to not listen to Erw’s tsukkomi. With doushi raising the power of the Holy Light emitted in the surroundings of his body, black smoke is rapidly purified and vanishes from the part of the black torso, where he clung to first. Next, with Elise and me raising the output of Holy magic in one go, the black giant is gradually vanishing from its feet. And at the time that vanishing reached even the wraith of Kurt, who was embedded in the chest, we heard a scream of death agony, we never heard until now. “Wendeli~~~~n!” “I see. The evil has been destroyed!” (Armstrong) In the end it finishes with the head of the giant vanishing last. With this the vanishing of the giant of black smoke is finally complete. “However, this is the limit of our mana, huh…?” Being a harder fight than expected, including Burkhart-san, who deployed a magic barrier, as well, all of the magicians, except Luise, were in a state of total mana depletion. That’s likely why. Although it was carelessness, it has resulted in an unexpected blunder. “Baron Baumeister. That magic tool fell down!” (Armstrong) Doushi discovered the ocarina magic tool, which Kurt blew, at the place the black giant stood. It’s appearance is something completely burnt black. As it is a magic tool you can’t use more than once, it now became no more than a burned ocarina. Even so, as it should serve as evidence, I tried to pick it up. At that moment a small lump of black smoke, which lurked inside the ocarina, has suddenly jumped out. It flies away towards the sky of the mountain range at a frightening speed. Without doubt the direction was towards the capital, but the current us were in no condition to chase after it due to the mana depletion. “Doushi, what shall we do?” “For such remaining residue the most it can do is to get discovered! It’s fine to leave it to the church!” (Armstrong) “That’s also true.” If I consider to whom I owe having to go through such troubles, I have decided to not mind leaving that level of remaining residue of grudges to the church. And, above all, there was a truckload of work still left for me to do. “I ought to report this to father and Amelie-sister-in-law-san.” (Wendelin) That Kurt has died in the attempt to assassinate me. I didn’t feel anything like feeling of guilt towards Kurt himself, but I felt a degree of misgivings to leave the reporting to father and especially Amelie-sister-in-law-san and my nephews to someone else. “Wend has to report this. I will explain it to Eckhart’s group’s family.” (Hermann) “Hermann-nii-san…” (Wendelin) “Cooperating with Kurt, they were used, discarded and killed. Honestly speaking, it feels awkward…” (Hermann) “Be that as it may, there is their complicity in the attempted assassination plot. There’s no way to talk about an acquittal.” (Paul) Paul-nii-san, in a manner of his guard work, has declared it to be impossible to falsify them being innocent. “I do understand that.” Although there was still a big job left, for the time being, with this, the biggest climax of the accidents concerning Kurt have finally come to a close.

This is going to be great all wend has to do purify it. Kurt had a lot of anger at his younger brothers it not their fault they got talents he didn’t he should have just been happy farming and let the brothers who could handle it take over and not be greedy.

personally if u read form teh start, Kurt wasnt the greedy one. beign 1st born, he kind of have no choice and teh burden of being the lord was force upon him by his father. as u can tell Kurt wasnt that smart or abamtion, after wend and the other son got sucessful at teh capital, their father decided to abandon Kurt and just stop supporting him all together.

Thanks for the part of the chapter. After reading this Wend. looks like he is being torn by this. Even if purify Kurt he knows he is doing it for the right reasons. But Kurt to him is still family to him. Even the next part is like that it makes me respect Wend. more.

And considering the description of how Spirits are purified, with Souls having more magic within them requiring more magic than the target to be purified, Kurt is going to feel like he’s in hell…which should be his final destination after this arc.

David Schlicht
21st November 2016 at 5:05
Thanks for the part of the chapter. After reading this Wend. looks like he is being torn by this. Even if purify Kurt he knows he is doing it for the right reasons. But Kurt to him is still family to him. Even the next part is like that it makes me respect Wend. more.

after this i lose all respect for Wend.
as a child after hes transfer into the body, he didnt make any attempt to have any family bond with the family. he isolate himself. all he ever want to do was get teh hell out of teh territory. he left the territory and left his eldest brother teh burden of governning a poor, broke territory out int eh middle of nowhere with no income to develop the land. he know that his brother wasnt so smart and the burden was force on hsi brother by their father cause of tradition. the younger brother all abandon ship, left, make a name for themself in a wealthier land, then return, plot the murder of their eldest brother and divide the land for themself.

they left, when they return, they set all kind of plot to provoke their eldest brother into atking them. they know that hes not so smart, so he will fell for their trap. after months of provocation, they lure him out ot the middle of monster infestated land and then murder him, afterward divide his land between them.

personally like i said b4, if they author wanted to kill Kurt off like this, he should ahve build up Kurt characters as a bad guy from teh start, setting him up to hate the younger brothers. but nope, he set up kurt as a obident son who work hard for the family. he even delay his wedding plan for teh family. every day, kurt wake up go to work, tend teh field with their father and learn teh trade fo teh family with his father. Kurt was brough up as a hard working husband and brother then author sudden make a 180 turn on his personality and all of a sudden make him a evil greedy schemin brother who walk around with his gang doing nothing but bully and terrorist the people.

You are right and wrong.
Right: The author didn’t really properly develop a villain character out of Kurt. He was likely used because he was there, but no real character development went into him.
Wrong: the earlier chapters do state that the MCs interactions with his elder brothers were sparse, if existent at all, thus there was no character development on that side, except Erich, either. The author used that loophole in the plot.
Personally I also think the way they went about to deal with this whole case was deplorable. But if you consider how the Baumeister main family disregarded Erich’s wedding completely, you could also say that they reaped what they have sown.
In the end, I got to admit that this entire “Kurt” arc lacked a bit a of persuasive power but then again this is a complex web of interpersonal relations, thus judging it easily is impossible.

Thanks for another chapter.
Now a small comment. I am Brazilian and I do not speak English well so I use google. To read this novel. It seems to me that the author failed to convey an aura of urgency, affliction in several chapters of the novel. Kurt’s death most recalled a dark comedy of that of an adventure scene. Taking the bow from the dungeon with the dragons golems, the rest seems too quiet. Well, that’s. I hope I did not offend anyone.
P.S. I went after his work, because I read some chapters of the manga that is based on this novel and I liked it a lot ^^

The whole help getting strong thanks to the area with grudges kind of remind me some card games where you place the card of a certain area on the table and it helps gives the monster card an power boost. I seen something like this on Yugioh.

This chapter feels really weird, i can’t imagine how characters state in that battle. It’s like, are they really just thinking and talking without pressured feeling while their mana is not gonna be enough and being hammered by 50m class titan?

Thanks for the chapter!!
Will look forward to next week.
I hope sister-in-law can understand this n accept it. How will it be for her kids from now on. How will the society treat her and her kids from now on. So many questions for the next chapter.

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